


Like Old Times

by rangerhitomi



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Birthday Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 20:32:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3424643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rangerhitomi/pseuds/rangerhitomi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris looks kind of sad; his eyes are downcast and he’s not holding himself in the confident way Kaito is familiar with, but he’s kind of slouching and his shoulders are pulled down instead of back. It doesn’t suit him. “Can’t an old friend stop by to wish you a happy birthday?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Old Times

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunwukong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunwukong/gifts).



> A birthday gift to Bao from... a year and a half ago.

Kaito is halfway through making breakfast when Haruto bounds into the kitchen and grabs him around the waist, causing Kaito to drop the pancake he was flipping back in the pan. Haruto doesn’t seem to notice and looks up at his brother with one of the biggest grins Kaito has seen on his face in far too long.

Kaito pulls the pan off the burner and sets it aside. “You’re in a good mood today, aren’t you?”

“Happy birthday, Nii-san!” Haruto says it in a rush and bites his bottom lip. He looks like he’s bursting to say something else, so Kaito ruffles his hair and gives him a soft smile. He doesn’t think much of birthdays, having never had a normal one in so long that he forgets what it must be like for average people with good parents to celebrate a birthday. He’d forgotten it was even his birthday.

“Thank you, Haruto. Are you up for pancakes?”

Haruto’s eyes light up. Of course he is; he loves sweet foods. But he still has his look of anticipation as Kaito puts a couple on a plate for him and goes to the refrigerator for some juice.

“Nii-san,” he ventures, and he looks a little anxious now, looking down at his hands, “would you be mad if someone came over?”

Kaito helps him into his chair and raises an eyebrow, putting a spoonful of thawed frozen strawberries on top of Haruto’s pancakes. “Someone? Who?” He can’t think of anyone that Haruto might invite over, with the possible exception of Yuma or  _maybe_ Ryoga but he doesn’t want to spend the day with them because he kind of just wants a quiet day for a change and even though he can at least tolerate their presence now,  _god they are so loud_.

But his thoughts are rudely interrupted by a figure at the kitchen entrance, a figure in navy slacks and a button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone, a figure with insanely long hair and soft blue eyes holding a perfectly wrapped gift in his long fingers.

And Kaito can’t help but recall fleetingly that the last time those fingers had touched him, they had belonged to a man he couldn’t bring himself to forgive, a man who had once abandoned him, leaving him alone and friendless and _goddamn it_  heartbroken as the cold rain washed over his body-

-and here he is, looking anxiously at Kaito while Kaito looks stoically back, and Haruto doesn’t seem to sense the tension, because he is halfway through a little spiel before Kaito is brought back to earth.

“-so Orbital 7 helped and I’m really glad you’re here, Chris!” and Haruto promptly flops out of his chair and runs over to the man in the doorway, grabbing him around the waist.

Chris smiles down at Haruto, a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and leans the package against the wall, bending down so he can return the hug unimpeded. His eyes drift over Haruto’s head and Kaito finds himself locked into a stare with his former mentor-turned-enemy until Haruto pulls away and invites Chris to pancakes. Kaito mutters that there’s more batter and returns to the stove. Part of him doesn’t want to speak to Chris –  _don’t you remember what he did to you_  – and the other part of him wants desperately to return to the days where he and Chris had friendly duels and talked strategy and family over a cup of tea.

Haruto and Chris chat while Kaito flips a few more pancakes (except it’s more like Haruto gushing about how their family is  _getting better and I’ve been feeling better and things are great now_  while Chris uses the appropriate  _mm-hmm_ and  _I see_  when Haruto pauses for breath and Kaito is left wondering how Chris’s own family is doing now) but they’re done frying in no time at all and suddenly he has to sit at the table because it would be rude of him to walk out and he has to eat anyway because he can’t take his medication on an empty stomach.

Chris looks away pointedly when Kaito shoves the pills in his mouth and Kaito’s kind of grateful because-

 _With this kind of body, do you think you can win against Tron or me?_ Chris had asked as they had touched the last time

-his body’s still decaying and he doesn’t want to breach the subject again right now.

Kaito doesn’t say a word all through breakfast and he knows it’s kind of a dick move on his part to ignore a guest like this and  _thank god Faker’s not here because this would be a damn soap opera_.

But when everyone’s done, Kaito gets up to clear the table and Chris gets up too and Kaito finally has to look at him.

“I’ve got it under control,” and his voice is rude and his face is rude and Haruto frowns at him disapprovingly and Chris looks like Kaito was the one who slapped  _him_  for a change. He sighs. “Haruto, go on and brush your teeth and get dressed.”

Haruto’s sigh rivals Kaito’s and he scoots out of the kitchen. Kaito dumps the plates in the sink and turns around. “What are you doing here, Chris?”

Chris looks kind of sad; his eyes are downcast and he’s not holding himself in the confident way Kaito is familiar with, but he’s kind of slouching and his shoulders are pulled down instead of back. It doesn’t suit him. “Can’t an old friend stop by to wish you a happy birthday?”

Kaito snorts softly. “Try again.”

Chris picks up the present and holds it out without a word. Kaito narrows his eyes but takes the package and, with a hesitant nod of encouragement, tears off the paper and opens the box.

If he hadn’t known that Chris had no sense of humor he’d have assumed it was a cosmic joke; even so, he has to look up to verify that Chris isn’t just screwing with him. When he’s confident that Chris is serious, he sets the box on the table and pulls out its contents. A light blue shirt, beige slacks, and-

“What the hell,” he begins but Chris cuts him off and takes the suspenders out of his hands.

“I thought it might be nice to go do something today. For old times’ sake.” Chris gives him a small smile and it’s not as sincere as he remembers Chris’s smiles being three years ago.

“I have to dress up in something I haven’t worn in three years because?” Kaito gestures at his outfit. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Chris laughs now, and it actually lights up his face so Kaito guesses he inadvertently said something humorous. “What’s  _right_  with what you’re wearing, Kaito?”

That is a low blow, since it’s not  _that_ bad, but before Kaito can retort, Haruto sidles back in the kitchen and catches a glimpse of the clothes Kaito is holding and the next thing Kaito knows he’s in the bathroom looking at himself in this outfit he doesn’t want to wear but he doesn’t really have a choice because it makes Haruto happy and that was all that ever mattered to him. He feels fifteen again and when he comes back out into the living room where Chris and Haruto are sitting, Haruto smiles and Chris gets a nostalgic look on his face, and Kaito thinks of the little thing he used to have with Chris and his face turns pink.

Chris stands up and stops really close to Kaito – too close, way too close – and he’s towering over Kaito because he’s like half a foot taller than him, so Kaito is forced to look up as Chris takes those long fingers and unbuttons the top two buttons of Kaito’s shirt.

“Like old times,” he repeats and Kaito wants to punch his pretty face but Haruto wouldn’t like that so he doesn’t.

* * *

 

They walk to the park together, each holding one of Haruto’s hands and Chris holding a little bag with lunch in it, and Chris starts a game where he counts to three and swings a giggling Haruto between them and it almost rips Kaito’s shoulder out of place at first but when he gets the hang of it, it’s kind of enjoyable because  _Haruto’s laughing_  and so is Chris and it’s the first time he’s heard Chris laugh in three years. He smiles too, genuinely, and it’s a weird feeling because he’s gone so long thinking things were never going to get better that he’s almost forgotten how to smile.

When they get there, Haruto heads straight for the sandbox and Chris and Kaito stand nearby, giving him encouragement in the form of  _that’s a really nice moat_  and  _maybe you should add another tower!_ and when Haruto is concentrating on packing the sand into a conical shape, eyes squinting and tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, Chris finally asks the question Kaito is dreading.

“How are things with your father?”

Kaito looks down at his feet and he considers changing the subject, maybe turning it back on Chris like  _how are things with_ your _father_ but he can’t and so he just shrugs and avoids Chris’s gaze.

“He’s too busy most of the time.” And the rare times he shows up for breakfast are uncomfortable and full of long pauses and forced questions and clipped, one-word answers and Kaito should try to forgive Faker  _but it’s really damn hard_  and that seems to be the story of his life lately. “Not a lot has changed in that regard.”

Chris gives Haruto a thumbs-up at Haruto’s new tower and Haruto beams and goes to build a second one, so Chris shifts his shoulders and it looks like he’s steeling himself for something and just when Kaito finally looks at him quizzically like  _what is wrong with you_  Chris steps closer and brushes his fingers against the back of Kaito’s hand.

Maybe it’s supposed to be reassuring, maybe Chris is just trying to take Kaito’s hand, but Kaito doesn’t want him to do it ( _yes you do_ says a quiet, annoying voice in his head that he promptly ignores) so he pulls his hand away and looks down again.

“Kaito, how are  _you_?” and there’s a definite emphasis on the word so Kaito knows exactly what Chris means.

“I’ll live,” he says without thinking, and Chris sighs in frustration.

“How bad is it, Kaito? How bad did it get?”

Bad enough for him to have to take five different pills twice a day to slow the tissue decay. “I’ll live,” he says again, knowing perfectly well that short of a miracle or a medical breakthrough there’s the very real possibility that he won’t live to see Haruto old enough to get married.

Chris wants to say something but Haruto is bored with the sandbox and he grabs his brother’s hand and drags him off to the swings, and it’s impossible to continue such a heavy conversation while pushing Haruto, and besides, his attention is completely occupied when Haruto declares loudly that he’s going to  _kattobingu_  off the swing and Kaito curses the day he ever met Yuma Tsukumo.

(Fortunately Chris catches him.)

The playground is full of dangerous pieces of equipment and Kaito flat-out refuses to let Haruto down the tunnel slide, so they head toward the open field instead where there was less chance of Kaito spending his birthday applying first aid to his little brother.

They sit on the grass and take out the lunch and Haruto won’t sit still because he sees a butterfly that he wants to catch and finally Kaito agrees to hold his juice box while he chases it, and Chris is about to say something but changes his mind and gets up to help Haruto.

Watching a grown man chasing butterflies with a child should have been a laughable sight to Kaito, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t, because Faker sure as hell never did anything like this with him because Haruto was always too sick to do anything and when he wasn’t, Faker was always too busy.

It makes him miserable,  _angry_ , because  _this_  could have been his life; he could have had Chris and Haruto and they would have gone to the park on warm Sunday afternoons and played on the swings and chased butterflies and he could have seen his brother smile and Chris smile-

-but it wouldn’t have lasted, would it, because Haruto was dying and Kaito did the only thing he could to save him, even if it meant systematically destroying his own body in the process.

Life without Chris had broken his heart enough. Life without Haruto would have killed him.

“Nii-san,” Haruto’s voice snaps him out of his funk, and Kaito looks up and finds Chris kneeling next to Haruto, hand on his shoulder and a reassurance in his eyes and on Haruto’s finger is a small butterfly. “Look, Nii-san. We caught one!”

Kaito’s lip quivers because he and Haruto used to chase butterflies together then too, and he desperately wants the peace back. “That’s a great job, Haruto.” His legs carry him to Haruto while his mind is lost in the past, and maybe he startles the butterfly with his presence, because it flies off. Haruto looks disappointed but Chris laughs and draws the brothers together in a hug.

Chris’s hand on his shoulders takes him back to that night, and he can smell Chris’s girly shampoo as his face presses into Chris’s chest and the breath hitches in his own chest.

And  _goddamn it_  he feels like a child again.

* * *

 

They’re on their way home when they pass a bakery and Haruto tugs on Kaito’s hand and insists that they buy a cake because  _it’s your birthday, Nii-san, and you have to have a cake on your birthday_  and who is he to argue, so he lets Haruto help Chris pick out a chocolate cake. Chris tucks the box under his arm and takes Haruto’s hand and the three of them return to the tower.

* * *

 

Faker is still nowhere in sight when they get back and Kaito feels put off, since  _he said we were going to try to be a family again but he hasn’t even acknowledged that it’s my birthday_  and he wonders why he’s even surprised because it’s been the same thing every year for nine years.

Kaito makes a stir-fry for dinner, and Chris helps, and for a wonder Chris doesn’t ask awkward questions. He dumps too much curry into the pan and Kaito glares at him and he laughs again. The stir-fry is entirely too spicy and Kaito casually drinks three glasses of milk to soothe the burning and by the time they’re eating cake (they can’t find candles but Haruto and Chris sing to him anyway as he buries his face in his hands) he can hardly taste the chocolate because his taste buds are shot. Haruto gives him a birthday card that he drew himself the night before and it has not only Kaito and Haruto drawn on it, but Chris and even Faker, and they all look happy.

He opens it and sees a little note scrawled in nearly illegible handwriting underneath Haruto’s own careful scribble -  _Happy birthday, son._ And maybe that’s not a lot for nine years of forgetting his son’s birthday, but it’s  _something_  and maybe they can patch up their relationship after all.

Kaito swallows the lump in his throat and gives Haruto a hug.

They stay up a little while longer playing a board game until Haruto starts yawning and Kaito tells him it’s time for bed. Haruto looks disappointed but doesn’t complain when Kaito helps him get ready for bed and tucks him in.

“Nii-san,” Haruto says as Kaito turns on the night-light, “I hope your birthday was nice.”

Kaito smiles, and it surprises him how many times he’s found himself doing that today. “It was wonderful. Good night, Haruto.”

“Good night, Nii-san. Good night, Chris.”

Chris gives Haruto a kiss on the forehead and follows Kaito out, closing the door behind them.

And now it’s just them.

“I… should be going soon,” Chris says, and he makes no motion to leave.

“Yeah,” Kaito mumbles.

They stand in the living room, stand way too close, and Chris takes his hand and Kaito feels the warmth in his face and for a second he can pretend he  _is_ fifteen again and Chris is his mentor and nothing ever happened between them. The bright neon lights of the city sprawled beneath the tower shine into the room and Kaito feels like he’s in a cheesy romantic drama (and maybe you are). (And maybe you should shut up.)

“I’ve wondered,” Chris begins, but his shoulders tense and his brows furrow and he looks down at their hands as though surprised Kaito didn’t rip his away. “I’ve wondered,” he starts again, “if things would have been different had I not…”

“Abandoned me?”

Chris flinches. “Is that…” and he tilts his head a little, “yeah, I guess I did.”

There was no  _guess_  about it. “I did what I did for Haruto. I would do it again, given the choice. With or without you.”

Chris nods and pulls his hand away and Kaito is angry with himself because he wants to keep holding it. His hands rest on Kaito’s shoulders and they’re back at the WDC party for a minute and Chris is wearing a pitying expression as his thumbs brush Kaito’s suspenders. “I guess it’s too much to hope that we can just go back to the way things were.”

“I guess so.”

It’s like Kaito’s entire life consists of uncomfortable silences, but Chris finally pats his shoulders and pulls away and now he’s heading for the door. Kaito stands there, conflicted, because what he wants and what he knows is best for him are on opposite sides of the spectrum and-

- _goddamn it, it’s my birthday._

So he does what he wanted to do _years_ ago and chases Chris to the door. Chris is unhelpfully tall so Kaito has to stand on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around Chris’s shoulders and pulls his head down so their lips can touch.

Chris tries to pull back at first and Kaito is terrified for a second that he’s being rejected again, but then Chris’s hands cup Kaito’s face and they’re kissing for the first time in so long that Kaito doesn’t really seem to remember how it’s done and neither does Chris, so it’s childish until they kind of remember how their lips are supposed to fit together.

It fills Kaito with something, happiness, maybe, and he can’t help but give a weak laugh as they finally pull apart. Chris wipes the corner of Kaito’s lips with his finger and laughs too. “You’ve still got chocolate on your mouth.”

Kaito shakes his head in disbelief and then Chris is gone again, except this time they part smiling instead of crying and betrayed.


End file.
